Gustavo Turecki Explained

Gustavo Turecki
Birth Date:11 May 1965
Nationality:Canadian
Alma Mater:McGill University, Escola Paulista de Medicina UNIFESP, Brazil
Website:https://mgss.ca, https://douglas.research.mcgill.ca
Awards:Colvin Prize (2020)
Margolese National Brain Disorders Prize (2019)
Prix Léo-Pariseau, Acfas (2016)
Heinz Lehmann Award, CCNP (2012)

Gustavo Turecki (born May 11, 1965) is a Canadian psychiatrist, suicidologist, neuroscientist who is a professor at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair Tier in Major Depressive Disorder and Suicide.[1] He is the sitting Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University,[2] the Scientific Director of the Douglas Research Centre,[3] and the Psychiatrist-in-Chief of the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS ODIM).[4] He works at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, where he heads both the McGill Group for Suicide Studies[5] and the Depressive Disorders Program,[6] and is the co-director of the Douglas Bell-Canada Brain Bank.[7]

Turecki is both a clinician and a neuroscientist. He has published over 500 peer-reviewed publications and 30 book chapters[8] examining the influence of life experiences on brain function and their relationship to depression and suicide risk. One of his major contributions is the first description of the long-term impact of childhood abuse on the brain, particularly how it affects the activity of key genes involved in the stress response.[9]

Scientific contributions

Turecki's neurobiological work has focused on the processes underlying depression and suicide. In collaboration with Michael Meaney and Moshe Szyf, Turecki uncovered that early-life adversity epigenetically regulates the glucocorticoid receptor gene, a key component of response to stress.[10] This study helped to reconcile debate about the relative influences of genes and environment on behaviour (‘nature vs. nurture’ debate), and led to Turecki's selection as the scientist of the year by Radio Canada/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 2009, along with Meaney and Szyf. Turecki's further research on the human brain explored the epigenetic control of genes related to stress-response systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, particularly in association with childhood abuse and suicide.[11] [12] The results obtained in studying the epigenetic control of the HPA axis prompted Turecki to expand his interest in the epigenetic regulation of the brain, focusing on mechanisms that may explain what happens when individuals are exposed to traumatic experiences early in their lives, as well as what epigenetic processes are involved in depression and suicide.[13] In addition, his work has focused on epigenetic mechanisms explaining response to antidepressants.[14]

Turecki leads the Depressive Disorders Program, a clinical group that treats patients affected with major depression and integrates research projects into clinical practice. Two key aspects of this work are exploring how impulsive-aggressive behaviours contribute to suicide risk,[15] and implementing novel protocols and standards in the field.

Personal life

Turecki is married and has three children. He was born in La Plata, Argentina and moved to Montreal, Canada in 1994.

Awards and honours

Turecki is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences[16] and of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Selected publications

Neurobiology studies

Clinical and behavioural studies of depression and suicide

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Canada Research Chairs 2016 . 15 April 2020.
  2. Web site: Research | Department of Psychiatry - McGill University. mcgill.ca. 2014-12-09.
  3. Web site: The Douglas Research Centre . The Douglas Research Centre . 15 April 2020.
  4. Web site: Psychiatrist-in-Chief CIUSSS ODIM . McGill University . 15 April 2020.
  5. Web site: McGill Group for Suicide Studies. mgss.ca. 2014-12-09.
  6. Web site: Depressive Disorders Program . 15 April 2020.
  7. Web site: The Brain Bank | The Douglas Bell Canada Brain Bank. douglasbrainbank.ca. 2014-12-09.
  8. g turecki[Author] - PubMed - NCBI. Endocrinology . April 2011 . 152 . 4 . 1627–1639 . ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 10.1210/en.2010-0955 . Lefèvre . Pavine L. C. . Palin . Marie-France . Chen . Gary . Turecki . Gustavo . Murphy . Bruce D. . 21303959 . free .
  9. McGowan. Patrick O.. Sasaki. Aya. D'Alessio. Ana C.. Dymov. Sergiy. Labonté. Benoit. Szyf. Moshe. Turecki. Gustavo. Meaney. Michael J.. March 2009. Epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor in human brain associates with childhood abuse. Nature Neuroscience. 12. 3. 342–348. 10.1038/nn.2270. 1546-1726. 2944040. 19234457.
  10. McGowan . P . Sasaki . A . D'Alessio . ACD . Dymov . S . Labonté . B . Szyf . M . Turecki . G . Meaney . M . 2009 . Epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor in human brain associates with childhood abuse . Nat Neurosci . 12 . 3. 342–8 . 10.1038/nn.2270. 2944040 . 19234457.
  11. Labonté . B . Suderman . M . Maussion . G . Navaro . L . Yerko . V . Mahar . I . Bureau . A . Mechawar . N . Szyf . M . Meaney . MJ . Turecki . G . 2012 . Genome-wide epigenetic regulation by early-life trauma . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 69 . 7. 722–31 . 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.2287. 4991944 . 22752237.
  12. Labonte . B . Yerko . V . Gross . J . Mechawar . N . Meaney . MJ . Szyf . M . Turecki . G . 2012 . Differential Glucocorticoid Receptor Exon 1(B), 1(C), and 1(H) Expression and Methylation in Suicide Completers with a History of Childhood Abuse . Biol Psychiatry . 72 . 1. 41–8 . 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.01.034. 22444201 . 144050459 . free .
  13. Lopez . JP . Fiori . LM . Gross . JA . Labonte . B . Yerko . V . Mechawar . N . Turecki . G . 2013 . Regulatory role of miRNAs in polyamine gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of depressed suicide completers . Int J Neuropsychopharmacol . 17 . 1. 23–32 . 10.1017/S1461145713000941 . 24025154 . free .
  14. Lopez . JP . Lim . R . Cruceanu . C . Crapper . L . Fasano . C . Labonte . B . Maussion . G . Yang . JP . Yerko . V . Vigneault . E . El Mestikawy . S . Mechawar . N . Pavlidis . P . Turecki . G . 2014 . miR-1202 is a primate-specific and brain-enriched microRNA involved in major depression and antidepressant treatment . Nat Med . 20. 7. 764–8. 10.1038/nm.3582 . 24908571 . 4087015.
  15. McGirr . A . Renaud . J . Bureau . A . Seguin . M . Lesage . A . Turecki . G . 2008 . Impulsive-aggressive behaviours and completed suicide across the life cycle: a redisposition for younger age of suicide . Psychol Med . 38 . 3. 407–17 . 10.1017/s0033291707001419. 17803833 . 22610484 .
  16. Web site: CAHS Fellows . 15 April 2020.
  17. Web site: 2005 William Dawson Scholar, McGill University . McGill University . 15 April 2020.
  18. Web site: Scientifique de l'année (Société Radio-Canada) . Radio Canada . 15 April 2020.
  19. Web site: 2009 Top 10 findings of the year, Quebec Science . Quebec Science . 15 April 2020.
  20. Web site: 2012 Heinz Lehmann Award . CCNP . 15 April 2020.
  21. Web site: 2012 Research Career Award, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention . American Foundation for Suicide Prevention . 15 April 2020.
  22. Web site: 2014 Samarthji Lal Award for Mental Health Research . Fondation Graham Boeck Foundation . 15 April 2020.
  23. Web site: 2014 Top 10 findings of the year, Québec Science . Quebec Science . 15 April 2020.
  24. Web site: 2015 Joel Elkes Award for Clinical Research, ACNP . American College of Neuropsychopharmacology . 15 April 2020.
  25. Web site: 2016 ACFAS Léo-Pariseau prize . 15 April 2020.
  26. Web site: 2016 NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Award . 9 December 2016 . 15 April 2020.
  27. Web site: 2019 Margolese National Brain Disorders Prize . 16 July 2019 . 15 April 2020.
  28. Web site: 2020 NARSAD CINP Clinical Research Award . 22 May 2020.
  29. Web site: 2020 Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research . 21 March 2017 . 6 November 2020.

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